The United States reported 99,321 new COVID-19 cases on Friday, according to data from Johns Hopkins University, the highest number of new cases reported in a single day since the coronavirus pandemic began.

What You Need To Know

  • The U.S. reported 99,321 new COVID-19 cases on Friday

  • That figure is the highest number of new cases reported in a single day since the coronavirus pandemic began

  • The previous single-day record globally was set by India on Sept. 17, according to the nation's health ministry. 

  • The U.S. also added 1,030 new deaths from the novel coronavirus

The news comes on the heels of the U.S. hitting a grim milestone on Friday, surpassing 9 million COVID-19 cases, and just days after the U.S. set another record for new U.S. cases Thursday. 

It took two weeks to reach the mark from 8 million, the fastest jump of 1 million yet. It had taken more than three weeks for the total to rise from 7 million to 8 million.

The previous single-day record globally was set by India on Sept. 17, according to the nation's health ministry. 

The U.S. also added 1,030 new deaths from the novel coronavirus.

Confirmed U.S. cases are on the rise in 47 states. Deaths are up 14% over the past two weeks, averaging more than 800 every day. The virus has now killed more than 229,000 Americans.

According to The COVID Tracking Project, more than 46,000 Americans are currently hospitalized, the most since Aug. 13. 

And as cold weather pushes people indoors, the crisis is expected to get even worse. The Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington School of Medicine currently projects that daily deaths could eclipse 2,200 by Jan. 1. It estimates that number could be cut to about 1,200 with universal masks.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the government’s top infectious disease expert, said this week that the latest wave of infections is being driven by small gatherings of families and friends where masks aren't worn and social distancing isn't practiced. He added that he fears the upcoming holidays will only exacerbate the pandemic.

"We're going into a precarious situation," Fauci, director of the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview Wednesday. 

The worsening crisis has led to new restrictions in cities including Chicago; Newark, New Jersey; and El Paso, Texas. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report.